The Las Vegas Raiders have undergone significant changes to reach their peak performance and compete in the NFL. The team, in which Tom Brady holds a minority stake, took a crucial step by securing a quarterback to boost their chances of winning, but a major issue has now emerged involving Geno Smith.
It’s no secret that the team, now led by Pete Carroll, entered the offseason with one of the league’s weakest offenses. They are banking on their QB overcoming past challenges to turn things around.
The Challenge Geno Smith Has Faced in His Career
It’s clear that having Geno Smith as the quarterback is a substantial upgrade over the Raiders’ previous options at the position. He is undoubtedly a capable player, but he needs to improve in several areas, as the team’s success will heavily depend on his performance.
In this regard, Pro Football Network analyzed the most challenging game for each team in the upcoming season, and for Brady’s Raiders, it’s their road matchup against the Philadelphia Eagles.
“The new-look Raiders will get a chance to measure themselves against the best in the game this regular season, as they have a date with the Eagles in Philadelphia. Geno Smith is an obvious upgrade over their recent struggles at the position, but he’s going to have to reverse a concerning trend if Vegas wants a chance at pulling off this upset,” PFN said.
Additionally, PFN highlighted one of Geno Smith’s career-long struggles: he has a 3-14 record (17.6% win rate) when playing on the road against teams that qualified for the playoffs. In contrast, he boasts a 16-8 record (66.7% win rate) away from home against teams that missed the postseason.
This is a critical factor for the Raiders to consider, as six of their eight road games this season will be against franchises that reached the playoffs last year, plus an additional matchup against the New England Patriots, who have significantly bolstered their roster.
The fate of Tom Brady’s Las Vegas Raiders hinges directly on what their quarterback can deliver, so Geno Smith must find a way to overcome his struggles in away games.
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